Ukraine Daily
Friday, September 30
Russia’s war against Ukraine
IZIUM, UKRAINE - SEPTEMBER 29: A destroyed Russian command center is seen on September 29, 2022 in Izium, Ukraine. On September 9th, Ukranian armed forces hit the command center which was known as a jail and torture chamber. (Photo by Paula Bronstein /Getty Images)
Putin signs decrees ‘recognizing independence’ of Ukraine’s Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, partly invaded by Russia. The decrees say that Russia “recognizes independence” of Ukraine’s southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, which Russia partly invaded earlier this year.The move follows Russia’s sham referendums that it staged in the occupied territories on Sept. 23-27, claiming to ask locals if they wanted the territories to “join Russia.” In this way, Russia seeks to solidify its control over the invaded Ukrainian territories following the recent successful counter-offensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Poll: Putin’s approval rating fell after mobilization began. The share of those who approve of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s performance dropped from 83% in August to 77% in September, according to a survey conducted by polling agency Levada Center on Sept. 22-28. The percentage of Russians who believe their country is going in the right direction declined from 67% to 60%. On Sept. 25, Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported that over 260,000 Russian men had fled the country after Putin announced the mobilization of conscripts for the war against Ukraine on Sept. 21.
Zelensky to hold urgent security council meeting on Sept. 30 as Russia annexes more Ukrainian land. Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, said that the council would make crucial and “fundamental” decisions. The council meeting was announced after Russia said that documents on the annexation of occupied Ukrainian territories would be signed on Sept. 30. Russia is planning to annex Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts after holding sham referendums in the areas.
Ukraine’s General Staff: Russia has conscripted 100,000 people since Sept. 21. The figure was provided by Oleksiy Hromov, a deputy chief of the General Staff’s main operations department. Russia has announced plans to mobilize 300,000 conscripts. “We understand that the announced figure of 300,000 is not final. The number of mobilized conscripts will most likely be far larger,” Hromov said.
Russian missiles hit Zaporizhzhia, injure civilians. According to Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Oleksandr Starukh, Russian forces targeted the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia early on Sept. 30. The rescue operation is underway. Starukh said there are casualties but didn’t provide details at the time of the publication.
Intelligence: Probability of Russia striking Ukraine with tactical nuclear weapons is ‘very high’. “They will likely target places along the frontlines with lots of personnel and equipment, key command centers, and critical infrastructure,” Vadym Skibitsky, a deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, told The Guardian. “In order to stop them, we need not just more anti-aircraft systems but anti-rocket systems.” Tactical nuclear weapons are approximately 100 times more powerful than the missiles that Russia has used against Ukraine so far, according to Skibitsky.
Energoatom: Russian landmine explodes near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Ukraine’s state nuclear monopoly Energoatom denied reports that a fire broke out at the second reactor of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. However, a Russian landmine exploded at the transmission line that supplies power to a nitrogen generator, and a short circuit occurred at the sixth reactor, Energoatom said. Russia, which has been shelling Ukrainian positions from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Russian-occupied Enerhodar, is accused of using it as a shield and a tool of blackmail.
Putin orders officials not to draft those ineligible for conscription. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said that only reservists should be conscripted for the war against Ukraine and called for “correcting mistakes” made during the mobilization that he launched on Sept. 21. Putin’s statement comes amid a major scandal around numerous people ineligible for conscription being mobilized in Russia, triggering a public uproar.
ISW: Experts believe Putin once again bypassing the Russian chain of command. The Institute for the Study of War reported that the bureaucratic failures in Russia’s partial mobilization may indicate that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has again bypassed the Russian higher military command or the Russian Ministry of Defense. “The deployment of mobilized men to centers of hostilities on the Kharkiv or Kherson front lines may suggest that Putin is directly working with axis commanders on the ground,” the ISW says, adding that those people are likely clamoring for reinforcements, rather than following standard military practices which are also required by Russian law such as providing training to the mobilized prior to their deployment to the front lines.
Ukraine returns 6 more POWs from Russian captivity. Russia released six more Ukrainian prisoners of war – four service personnel and two civilians – in a prisoner swap on Sept. 29, according to President’s Office Head Andriy Yermak. “Our goal is to get all our people back. We are working on it non-stop,” said Yermak.
Read our exclusives here
Russia’s chaotic mobilization unlikely to change Ukraine war’s course. The first week of Russia’s earth-quaking mobilization campaign has topped all expectations — in terms of its harshness, hastiness, and chaos.
Photo: Kostyantyn Chernichkin/The Kyiv Independent
Editorial: Stop using Russia’s propaganda language to talk about its war in Ukraine. In a world polluted with disinformation and manipulations, we all bear responsibility for the words we choose to use. Unfortunately, some global media and other actors have chosen to act irresponsibly when talking about Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Photo: The Kyiv Independent/Getty Images
Ukraine war latest: Russia set to claim annexation of Ukraine’s occupied regions. Russian President Vladimir Putin will sign “documents” on formally annexing 15% of Ukraine’s territory that his country occupies on Sept. 30, according to his spokesperson. Russia’s rush to annex its captured territories in Ukraine comes as Kyiv threatens to retake them amid the ongoing counteroffensive, which led to the liberation of over 400 settlements.
Photo: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP via Getty Images
The human cost of Russia’s war
Russian missiles strike Dnipro, killing 1, injuring 2. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Valentyn Reznichenko reported that Russian missiles targeted a residential area in the city of Dnipro and hit a transport facility. At least 50 buses and an administrative building of the facility caught fire. At least one person was killed and two injured in the attack, according to Reznichenko.
Official: Russian shelling of Mykolaiv kills 3, injures 12. Russian forces attacked Mykolaiv with cluster munitions, Hanna Zamazeyeva, head of Mykolaiv Oblast’s legislature, said on Sept. 29. A cluster shell exploded near a public transport stop in a crowded place, according to Zamazeyeva.
International response
Media: US to buy South Korean weapons for Ukraine. Czech news website iDNES.cz reported on Sept. 29 citing its sources that the U.S. will buy rocket launchers and billions of dollars of ammunition for Ukraine, and the weapons will be delivered through the mediation of the Czech Republic. According to the outlet, the total value of the weapons is expected to be about $3 billion.
NATO calls Nord Stream leaks ‘deliberate acts of sabotage.’ The damage to the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea most likely was caused by deliberate attacks, according to NATO. “All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage,” NATO stated on Sept. 29.
Polish minister: NATO may strike Russia with aircraft, missiles if it uses nukes in Ukraine. Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said in an interview with Polish radio RMF FM that NATO would have a conventional response to a possible Russian nuclear attack against Ukraine. When asked whether NATO troops would enter Ukraine, Rau said it cannot be ruled out. He added, however, that conventional weapons, such as aviation and missiles, don’t necessarily have to be launched from Ukrainian soil.
US Senate approves allocation of $12.4 billion in aid to Ukraine. The U.S. Senate approved a bill to continue government funding through Dec. 16. The funding includes $12.3 billion in both military and economic aid for Ukraine, Reuters reported. The bill also enables U.S. President Joe Biden to authorize the shipment of up to $3.7 billion worth of excess weapons from U.S. stocks.
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